Marker and flower holder



Aug. 29, 1933. s. F. BRITTQN 1,924,149

MARKER AND FLOWER HOLDER Filed Oct. 13, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 John Jones Samuel EBri Z'tan INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Aug. 29, 1933. s BIRITTQN 1,924,149

MARKER AND FLOWER HOLDER Filed Oct. 15, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I x 2 g 3 W FL sdmuelfffirifton LVl lf/VTU/Y Patented Aug. 29, 1933 UNITED STATES 1,924,149 MARKER AND FLOWER 1101mm Samuel F. Britton, Covington, Ky.

Application October 13,

' 8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a marker and flower holder of a type suitable for use in cemeteries where it is employed as a combined grave marker and holder or vase for out flowers. 1

Another object is to provide an improved invertible vase wherein the closure for the bottom of the vase pedestal normally presents a surface substantially flush with the body of the marker and one which is adapted to be finished or decorated in conformity with the remainder ofthe exposed face of the marker.

Another object is to provide a vase pedestal for an invertible grave yard vase whereinthe closure for the bottom of the pedestal is pivoted and alternately forms a closure for the bottom of the pedestal and an exposed frame for holding suitable written or photographic identification or display means according to the way the closure member is turned on its pivots.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a grave marker with a vase of the invention disposed in inverted and concealed relation thereto.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental elevational view, partly in cross section showing the vase or flower urn in an operative position on the marker.

.Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, part being broken away.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through a modification of the device.

As shown in Fig. 1 there is employed a suitable grave marker plate 6 .of any desired shape or size and preferably made of a suitable metal such as bronze and which may carry any suitable legend to identify the interred body. In one portion of the marker plate 6 is a suitable aperture 'I that receives the base portion 8 of a pedestal section 9 on a vase or um 10, of any desired shape 'or design. The base portion 8 has in its extreme bottom portion an aperture 11. This aperture is preferably circular although it need not necessarily be so. A disc 12 has at substantially diametrically opposite sides trunnions 13 which extend into and through the base 8. v

When the vase or urn'is inverted, the face 14 of disc 12 is normally disposed uppermost and substantially in a plane with the surrounding portion of base 8 and marker plate 6 so that these may present a substantially uniform face such that, when the marker is set upon a grave, lawn mowers and the like may be passed thereover without being struck by the'blades or cutters.

1932. Serial No. 637,621

The opposite face 15 of disc 12 is adapted to receive a photograph 16 or a similar member bearing suitable inscription, the same being covered by a glass 17 which may be held in by a framing ring 18. The ring 18 is preferably annularly re-' cessed to receive a quantity of suitable packing material 19 so as to retain the photograph or other display member in fully protected condition. Ring 18, which may be of thin metal, may be spun onto disc 12 as at 180, and, after the display member,. glass, and packing material are in place, may be spun as at 181 to hold those members in a sealed and weatherproof condition. Any other framing means may be employed in lieu of the ring 18.

The disc 12 is preferably made somewhat lighter on one side of its pivotal mounting so that one edge of the frame ring 18 will normally rest on a lug 21 interiorly of the hollow pedestal base for the purpose of holding the face 14 of disc 12 flush with the surrounding portion of the base 8., When pressure is exerted on the disc on the side opposite lug 21, .the disc will turn on its pivotal mounting and will have the edge of 'frame ring 18' abut the bottom of mg 21. The disc being heavier on the side that is now uppermost will remain in the tilted position indicated in dotted lines in Fig; 3, wherein the photograph 16 is advantageously displayed to one standing near the marker. Thus the disc 12 alternately serves as a flat and flush closure for the bottom of the urn baseand as an inclined easel type picture frame and mounting. The photograph or member 16 may be either paper, suitable paper I I board or metal. The counter-weighting of disc 12 may be accomplished by any suitable means or method such as by cutting away a portion of the metal at 22.

The disc 12 after being tilted from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 may be grasped for the purpose of lifting the vase or um 10- from the marker plate, or the fingers may be inserted beneath the surrounding flange portion of the base 8 for that purpose. The hollow pedestal 9 has suitable substantially concealed drainage perforations 23 so that water seepage and condensation which may enter the hollow pedestal when the urn is in an inverted'position may flow out.

Surroundingthe aperture 7 in the plate 6 is a depending annular flange 24'and an in-turned shoulder 240 which are preferably integral with tom 26 permits seepage and the products of condensation to flow out of housing 25. Flange 2'7 at the top of the wall of housing 25 provides a shoulder 28 upon which either the bottom of the pedestal base or the top 29 thereof may seat accordingly as the urn is placed in an operative or an inoperative position. For simplicity in manufacture the flange 27 may be secured to the flange 24 by means of screws 30. A look 31 may be disposed beneath plate 6 and through flange 24 so that the bolt 32 may pass into a suitable keeper recess 33 in the wall of base 8. Key

plate 34 may be placed inconspicuously on the outer exposed face of the plate 6. Such an arrangement precludes unauthorized removal of the urn from its inoperative position. It is to be understood that the use of a key-controlled means is entirely optional.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, there is shown a vase or flower holder that is invertible like the one just described but in this case is not adapted to project above the face of the marker plate when disposed in an upright position to receive flowers. This is a less expensive form of device because the vase may be of any form such as a simple cylinder and it may be of serviceable material and without any ornamental finish. The vase and pedestal may, in this embodiment, comprise a simple cylindrical wall 35 with a bottom 36 disposed intermediate the ends so that one portion 37 forms a hollow base or pedestal for the vase. Disc 38 is pivoted within the hollow base and has its face 39 substantially flush with the face 40 of the marker plate 41 when said disc rests on lug 42 interiorly ofthe pedestal. I When the disc is turned through somewhat less than 180, the opposite edge of the disc abuts the bottom of lug 42 and thus disposes the display-face 43 uppermost and at an advantageous degree of incline to render the display or photograph visible to one standing before the marker plate.

It is also contemplated, within the scope of this invention, to adapt various modifications to the invertible submerged vase or urn; for example the display means may be fixed in slightly countersunk relation on the bottom of such a vase and a cover pivoted to said bottom and adaptable to be swung laterally from closed to open position to uncover the display member when desired.

What is claimed is:

1. As a new article of manufacture an invertible and submergible vase comprising a surface plate adapted to be fixedly mounted substantially flush with the ground and having an aperture therein, an inwardly shouldered flange depending from said plate, a vase comprising a pedestal portion having an apertured base, a disc member pivoted at substantially diametrically opposite sides in the aperture in said base, and normally forming a flush closure for the aperture in said pedestal base when the vase is inverted, and means comprising a protective member, a sealing member and a frame ring for holding a picture or the like in weatherproof protected and normally. concealed relation on the opposite face of the disc.

2. In an invertible and submergible graveyard vase the combination of a hollow vase pedestal, an apertured base therefor, a disc member pivoted in said aperture and having one face disposed normally in a flush relation to said base, means to preclude turningv of the disc in one direction beyond said flush position, said means serving as a stop to position the disc in a tilted relation to the base when said disc is turned in the opposite direction.

3. In an invertible graveyard vase the combination with an apertured and interiorly shouldered plate, of a vase having awhollow apertured pedestal adapted to selectively seat in inverted and upright positions on said shoulder in said plate, a disc pivoted in the aperture in the pedestal, a stop lug interiorly of the pedestal and means to mount a display member,-such as a photograph in weather tight condition on one face of the disc, said disc being heavier on one side of the pivotal mounting whereby the disc normally rests on the lug with the photograph disposed within ,the pedestal and in concealed condition, said disc being movable on its pivotal mounting in one direction into contact with the lug wherein the photograph is exposed and in inclined relation to the bottom of saidpedestal.

4. In combination a hollow pedestal member adapted to be disposed at times in an inverted position, said pedestal having an opening in the a is moved to the opposite side of said pivotal mounting wherein thedisplay side of the disc is disposed at a suitable angle of visibility and wherein the non-weighted side of the disc abuts the said lug.

5. In combination an invertible pedestal member having an aperture in the base thereof, a disc member pivoted within the aperture, 9. display holding means on one face of the disc, and a lug within the pedestal adapted to hold the disc with the display face down and the opposite face flush with the bottom of the pedestal, said disc being movable on its pivot mounting in one direction to dispose the display face uppermost and at an angle to the bottom of the pedestal.

6. In a submergible graveyard vase the combination of a plate adapted to be mounted substantially flush with the surface of the ground and having an aperture therein, a flange surrounding the aperture in the plate and depending from said plate, a housing depending from the flange and providinga shoulder within the aperture, a vase having a hollow pedestal, a hollow apertured base for the pedestal adapted to rest on said shoulder when the vase is in both upright and submerged positions, a disc pivoted within the aperture in the bottom of the base and having one face serving as a flush closure for said base, a weatherproof mounting for a display member on the opposite face of said disc, and a stop lug adapted selectively to receive the edge of the disc on the top thereof for holding the disc in a closed position and to receive the opposite edge of the disc in abutment therewith for retaining the display side of the disc .in exposed inclined position.

7. In a grave marker and flower holder the combination of a marker plate having a hollow shouldered housing depending therefrom, a vase submergible into said housing, a hollow base for the vase adapted to seat on the shoulder in both upright and inverted positions, said base having an aperture in the bottom thereof, a disc tiltably mounted in said aperture and having one face normally disposed flush with the bottom of said base, means in the base for abutment by the disc on one side to retain the disc flush with the bottom of said base, and for abutment by the disc on the opposite side to hold the disc in tilted relation to the bottom of the base for exposing the opposite face of the disc in display position.

8. In an invertible and vase the combination seated flush with the surface of the ground and submergible graveyard with a plate adapted to be 

